Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Camilla Bruce | 20 Questions: IN THE GARDEN OF SPITE
Author Guest / January 18, 2021

1–What is the title of your latest release? In the Garden of Spite 2–What is it about? It is a fictionalized account of the life and bloody deeds of Belle Gunness – one of America’s first and most prolific female serial killers. Belle was Norwegian (like me) but left for the US in her early twenties, a few decades before she became notorious. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I love that the setting moves from Norway to the Midwest, so I could write about a place I knew very well, and one that was new to me. I also love the time period (1877 – 1908), and found it enormously interesting to explore the lives of Scandinavian immigrants at that time.  4–How did your main character(s) surprise you?  Belle was undoubtedly a sociopath, but she had a soft spot for children, and that was very surprising to me. She would arrange Christmas parties for the neighborhood kids and visit them with gifts when they were sick. She also spoiled her own quite a bit.  5–Why will readers relate to your characters?  Belle is one of those characters you don’t want to not be able to relate to, since she…

Joseph Schneider | The Top Five Crime Stories that Made Me
Author Guest / January 18, 2021

You’ve had it, just as I have–that delicious moment when you read something that shatters you.  “I didn’t know you could do that with words,” you think, your relationship with literature forever changed. There’s a great scene in The NeverEnding Story when the bookseller tells Bastian how certain stories aren’t safe, that they won’t simply release you on your own terms. Here are five pieces that still haven’t let me go, and that’ve shaped my life as a writer of crime fiction. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates I was in 9th grade when our English teacher assigned this out of our thumping short story anthology. Oates begins her tale in the most unassuming way: Connie–fifteen, and with all the drama that entails–decides to stay home while her parents and sister go to a most uncool family barbeque. Sometime into the afternoon, two men show up in a convertible and honk the horn. Connie goes out to see what they want, and the terror begins to unspool. This story was a revelation. The idea that the most hideous things could happen in the middle of a blue day, and right where you lived, cut…

N.J. Walters | 20 Questions: BJORN CURSED
Author Guest / January 18, 2021

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  BJORN CURSED, book 4 of the Forgotten Brotherhood series. 2–What is it about? The Forgotten Brotherhood are a group of paranormal assassins. They aren’t the monsters lurking under the bed. They’re the ones that kill them. Bjorn was cursed by a god and became the first Norse werewolf. Now his past is being used to jeopardize not only his own life but the lives of those he loves and the other members of the Brotherhood. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Anja Knutson is one tough lady. Through her courage and sacrifice, she gained a second chance at life for her children, even though it meant servitude to a goddess for eternity in the afterlife. 4–What makes your hero irresistible?  Bjorn was driven by anger and vengeance after the death of his family, which ended up with him being cursed and becoming the first Norse werewolf. He’s stubborn and dangerous, but utterly loyal to those he loves. There’s nothing he won’t do to protect them, even defy the gods themselves. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? Anja has absolutely no one she can turn to when…

Fresh Fiction Reviewer Spotlight: Sandra Martin
Author Guest / January 18, 2021

We have another Fresh Fiction Reviewer Spotlight to share with you today! Be sure to look for more posts introducing all of our reviewers to you this month.  Your Name Sandra Martin How long have you been a Fresh Fiction reviewer?  Less than a year What are your favorite genres to read and review? Mystery (Traditional and Cozies), Romantic Suspense, Thrillers What are your TOP 3-5 Books of 2020? Little Falls by Elizabeth Lewes The Vacation by T.M. Logan Lavender Blue Murder by Laura Childs Home Before Dark by Riley Sager Teen Killers Club by Lily Sparks What do you like to do outside of reading? Work at a University, Play Tennis, Travel, Write, and Take Classes. I always like to learn new things. What are some of your holiday traditions? Halloween – I am a big Stephen King fan. I love watching all the movies based on his books played during the month of October. I love decorating for Halloween and I enjoy the cooler season here in the South. What are your reading resolutions/intentions/goals for 2021? To keep reading engaging novels. To try new genres and discover authors that bring something special to their writing/storytelling. What do you…